Casket-truck.



No. 627,954. Patented lune 27, I899.

B. W. N.

CA8 K ET 0 K.

(Appliqntion filed Feb. 24, 1899.

a 136 Z mm mm 35 Ma fl mw Hum 1.1 1 444. 447% I UNITED STATES ATENTFFICE.

ROBERT w. DIXON, or SPRINGFIELD, OIIIO.

CASKET-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 627,954, dated June 27,1899. Application filed February 24, 1899. Serial No. 706,756. (Nomodel.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. DIXON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCasket-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in casket-trucks, and particularlyto that class of trucks which are adapted for use at funerals inchurches and elsewhere for supporting a casket and for transporting thesame.

The object of my invention is to improve upon casket-trucksnow in use,and particularly that class of folding casket-trucks such as shown anddescribed in Letters Patent No. 614,623, issued November 22, 1898, onthe application of W. H. Reama.

It is found in practice that while four-wheel trucks are desirable forsupporting a casket and for transporting the same under certainconditions in'the use of the same and where it is desirable to turnsharp corners or to turn the casket within a narrow limit two wheels aredesirable. In myimproved casket-truck I' have made provisionsforsupporting the casket firmly when in use as a support and at the sametime providing means by which it may be supported on two or more wheels,as desired, in transportation, the construction being such that thewhole truck may be folded in narrow limits when not in use.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 isa perspective view of the casket-truck extended. Fig. 2 is a similarView of the truck folded. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a part of theframe with the central supporting-wheels and the method of connectingand bracing the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the connecting part-s.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in theseveral views.

In the said drawings, Ct represents the end:

' frames, each consisting of posts a a, at the tongs-levers is slidinglyconnected to the posts of the end frames, as shown at 0 suitable meansbeing provided for holding the ends of these levers connected to thepost when the frame is extended substantially in the manner described inthe former patent referred to, means being thus provided by which whenthe levers are loosened at the point 0 the end frames may be movedtogether and the lazytongs frames closed up, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to provide for turning the truck within narrow limits, Iprovide two central supporting-wheels cl d, connected to the respectivelazy-tongs frames, and in order that these wheels will not interferewith the folding of the casket-truck I connect these wheels to the frameby adjustable folding connections, as hereinafter described. The lowerend of each of the levers which are slidingly connected to the endframes is extended below its lower pivotal connection and preferablycurved downwardly, as shown at d, and these extensions (1' on theopposite frames are connected together by rods d From a point at or nearthe center of each of the lazytongs side frames there is pivoted avertical support d the lower end of which extends below the saidportions 01, the said ends being perforated to receive a rod or shaft 02on which are mounted the wheels d d. At a point slightly above the shaftor rod d there is pivoted to the vertical support d toggle-jointedlevers d each of which is provided at its outer end with a slottedopening at", through which slotted openings the rods d are adapted topass. By this construction the vertical supports (1 are pivotallyconnected at or near the center of each of the lazy-tongs side frames,and are also pivotally connected to the toggle jointed levers d whichare connected to the extensions 01' of the side-frame levers.preferably,though not necessarily, of the same size and are usuallyrubber-tired or otherwise suitably constructed for the purpose intended.The vertical support d is of such a length that the centralsupporting-wheels cl dare slightly lower than the end supporting-wheelsb b, so that in practice the truck when used as asupport will besupported on the central supporting-wheels and either pair of the endsupporting-wheels, the other pair of end sup- The wheels 6 e and d d areporting-wheels being slightly elevated from the floor. The slot tedopenings d of the lazytongs (Z are so constructed that when the truck isextended the inner ends of said slotted openings will come in contactwith the rods 61 and will thus firmlybrace the lower end of the verticalsupport (1 When the truck is folded, the folding of the frame will, byreason of the pivoted connection between the frame and the centralsupport 61 raise the central support, and with it the central sup-'porting-wheels, this upward movement being permitted by reason of theslotted openings 61 in the toggle-jointed levers d In operation it willbe seen that by reason of the central supporting-wheels extendingslightly below the end wheels the truck may, if desired, be supportedentirely on the two wheels, and thus'permit the same to be turned inVery narrow limits. In going straight ahead it can be carried on thecentral supporting-wheels and one of the other pair of wheels, as thecircumstances of the case may determine.

When the truck is folded, which is done in substantially the same manneras described in the previous patent referred to, the centralsupporting-wheels will be lifted and folded in between the end frames inthe mannershown in Fig. 2 andont of the way of the extended portions ofthe side frames, which are thus permitted to fold under said wheels, andthus bring all the parts within narrow limits for packing or storing orotherwise.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination with thefolding truck colnprisingthe lazytongs side frames connecv ed at eachend to wheel-supporting frames, central supporting-wheels attached toverticalstandards pivotally connected to said lazytongs side frames, andpivoted brace connections for said standards also connected to said sideframes whereby the folding of said lazytongsside frameswillliftsaidcentralsupporting-wheels above said end wheels, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination with the end frames having caster-wheels asdescribed, and the lazy-tongs side frames so that the same may be foldedas described, said lazy-tongs side frames having extended lever portionswith connecting rods, and the pivoted central standards andtoggle-jointed levers pivoted to said standards with slotted openings attheir outer ends, said openings forming supports for saidconnecting-rods and central supporting-wheels connected to saidstandards, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with the end frames and the connecting lazy-tongsside frames,vertical standards pivoted to said side frames at or nearthe center thereof, and toggle-jointed levers pivoted to said standardsand to extended portions of said lazy-tongs'side frames, andsupporting-Wheels carried by said standards, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

5. The combination with the end frames, and the connecting lazy-tongsside frames, of central supporting-wheels connected to said lazy-tongsside frames by folding adjustable connections substantially as describedwhere by said supporting-wheels are elevated when said side frames arefolded, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day ofFebruary, A. D.

ROBERT XV. DIXON. Witnesses:

EARL G. WELcH, CHAS. I. WnncH.

